Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Isn't 24 more than one? | Acts 2:38 | Morant61 | 133467 | ||
Greetings Rowdy! I can see that your request wasn't sincere! ;-) You ask for one verse, I give you 24, but you ignore them completely. You wrote: "Now I'd be the last person in the world to propose that we can earn our way to Heaven BUT as I've stated plainly there's simply no way a person can prove that one can go to Heaven by simply BELIEVING in God and not prove it." Yet, that is exactly the point that the 24 verses I cited makes. 'Beliving' in Christ is all that is required to be saved. You wrote: "The single one place in the Bible where it discusses faith alone is in James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." Yet, as I pointed out in my previous post 'believe' is simply the verbal form of the noun 'faith'. So, it is simply not true that James 2:24 is the only verse that speaks of faith alone. None of the 24 verses I listed for you mentions anything but faith! :-) For my view of the meaning of James 2:24, you can search the archives. I am quite certain that you don't want to make the arguement that it contradicts Eph. 2:8-9, do you? You also wrote: "God is going to be looking for His Seal of Approval, Proof that we really have taken on the Lord, His Son in baptism." But, God's Seal is the Holy Spirit whom I received the moment I believed, not any act that I have done later. Eph. 1:13 - "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit," This is the only 'seal' that God is looking for my friend! Speaking of logic, which of the 24 verses that I cited mentions baptism as a requirement for salvation? Perhaps, we should go back and look at each one individually! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Isn't 24 more than one? | Acts 2:38 | Rowdy | 133470 | ||
Dear Tim, my friend. I'm only trying to be as precise as you are endeavoring to do. My whole answer in this regard is hinged on the fact nowhere in the Bible does God depict a concept of getting salvation with just simple belief without some kind of proof. The verses you've cited point toward that process and belief is absolutely a very necessary step in the right direction. But you keep side-stepping one of my most important points. Even the devil believes in God and always has. He like Cain, Moses and so many others have had one-on-one, personal conversations with God and Jesus. So he can't help but believe and I'm convinced he even knows that he's going to Hell as he probably knows Bible principles much better than you and me. The big difference between christians and the devil is our response to this belief. God commands men everywhere to repent and be baptized, Acts 2:38 for we all put Christ on that cross. AND we continue to do so as long as we don't establish a relationship of salvation through Him in His Name. I don't really think I can be any more clear. The Bible simply doesn't teach the concept of "belief or faith only" will get a person saved. We must follow through and complete the process, the Terms and Conditions of our Lord's Last Will and Testament. Remember, we'll be judged by ALL the Words from Jesus on Judgment Day. Do continue studying and praying on this matter. Meanwhile, I'm hoping others on the Forum will respond to this thread. Let's see what they might have to say. God bless. Rowdy |
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3 | Isn't 24 more than one? | Acts 2:38 | srbaegon | 133476 | ||
Hello Rowdy, "My whole answer in this regard is hinged on the fact nowhere in the Bible does God depict a concept of getting salvation with just simple belief without some kind of proof." This is absolutely correct, yet your definition of proof is baptism. You completely discount that James speaks of a lifestyle of good works, instead zeroing in on one specific work that must be done. It is a work that should be done, not the single most important one. Now go back to Tim's 24 verses, and get it right. Steve |
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4 | Isn't 24 more than one? | Acts 2:38 | Rowdy | 133477 | ||
Steve, my friend, you're putting words in my mouth for I didn't say "...yet your definition of proof is baptism." Instead, I would say that a christian must place his confidence, like I've been alluding to all along, in ALL the words of the Bible, with special emphasis on the NT as Christ took the authority of the OT with Him to the cross. When a Bible student studies God's Word thoroughly and collects ALL the acts, words and everything associated with salvation or the saving of a person from his sins, there are a few things that stick out. Those actions are Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess and be Baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. After that one must continue studying God's Word and finds out about adding fruits of the Spirit, imitating Christ's lifestyle like the Apostles and being faithful till death as recorded in Rev 2:10. There's much, much more like our perfecting our love for ALL mankind as described in 1 Cor 13. But the most important thing to remember is this: the Lord wants to refine us and get us away from our addiction to this physical, finite world and have us join Him in His spiritual, infinite world in the Hereafter. But this has to be done in accordance with His timetable. We just need to submit ourselves as clay to the Potter. I've already addressed the situation with the 24 verses from Tim. None of them cite "faith or belief only" to the exclusion of anything, least of all baptism. You and I both have to accept God's Whole "Enchilada" and comply with His every wish. Eccl 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. 14For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, whether good or evil. I hope this clears up the controversy for you. God bless. Rowdy |
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5 | Isn't 24 more than one? | Acts 2:38 | srbaegon | 133481 | ||
Hello Rowdy, Yes, you have said that we need to look at the whole of Scripture and obey it. However, you have been abundantly clear that the work you consider as all important is baptism. So while you never specifically stated that baptism was your definition, you did indeed make it clear with your repeated insistance that it be the thing that God will judge us on. Steve |
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